Ask Chef Walter: The Golden Delight: A Tale of Pastéis de Nata – Walter Potenza

by Chef Walter Potenza, contributing writer

The Portuguese sweet adored worldwide

Picture yourself strolling through Lisbon’s sunny streets, breathing in the scent of the river, and hearing tram bells ring. Suddenly, the smell of crisp pastry, creamy custard, and cinnamon drifts by. That’s the magic of pastéis de nata, Portugal’s famous custard tarts. These treats have brought joy from monastery kitchens to cafes worldwide. But they’re more than a snack; they’re a piece of history, a symbol of culture, and a baking adventure you can try at home. Let’s discover their story together.

The story begins in the early 1700s at the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém, a riverside part of Lisbon. (History, n.d.) Back then, Catholic monks used lots of egg whites to starch clothes and clarify wine, leaving them with extra yolks. (A CULINARY HISTORY OF THE PORTUGUESE EURA, 2025) To use them up, the monks mixed the yolks with sugar, milk, and flour to make sweet custards. Many convents in Portugal made egg-based desserts this way, but it was at Jerónimos, with its beautiful buildings, that the pastel de nata first appeared. (Pastel de Nata: The Portuguese Custard Tart, 2022)

In the 1820s, Portugal went through big changes as the Liberal Revolution closed many monasteries. To survive, the monks at Jerónimos started selling their custard tarts at a nearby sugar refinery. (Pastéis de Nata: History, Tradition and Flavor of Portugal, 2025) The tarts quickly became popular for their flaky pastry and creamy filling. When the monastery closed in 1834, the monks sold the recipe to the refinery owners, who opened the Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém in 1837. (History | Pastéis de Belém®, n.d.) Today, this bakery still makes thousands of tarts every day using a secret recipe known only to a few bakers. (Ferreira, 2023) People say the recipe has stayed the same for almost 200 years, showing how loved these tarts are. (An Inside Look at Pastéis de Belém, 2023)

From simple beginnings, pastéis de nata have become a favorite in Portugal. People there eat them fresh from the oven, dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar, often with a strong espresso at local bakeries. These tarts show the creativity and skill of their makers. Cinnamon and other spices, brought to Portugal during the Age of Discoveries, added new flavors. (Cartwright, 2021) Today, pastéis de nata are enjoyed worldwide, even in places like Hong Kong and Macau, where Portuguese sailors once shared the recipe. (A Tale of Two Tarts: The Best Custard Tarts in Hong Kong and Macau, 2023) In Lisbon, people line up at Pastéis de Belém to get these tarts, which are now celebrated at festivals and protected by EU law as a traditional specialty. (Pastéis de Belém: Lisbon’s Iconic Pastry, 2023) For many Portuguese, a pastel de nata is more than a treat—it’s a comforting taste of home.

Let’s try making these tarts at home.

The original Pastéis de Belém recipe is a well-kept secret, but many home bakers have come up with versions that are very close to it. These recipes use crisp, layered pastry and a smooth, lemony custard that browns in a hot oven. Here’s a reliable recipe, based on traditional methods, that yields about 12 tarts. It takes some work, but the results are worth it.

Ingredients for the Dough:

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature, stirred until smooth

Ingredients for the Custard:

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups whole milk, divided
1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
1 cinnamon stick
⅔ cup water
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
6 large egg yolks, whisked
Powdered sugar and ground cinnamon, for dusting

Steps:

To make the dough, use a stand mixer with a dough hook or mix it by hand. Combine the flour, salt, and water until you get a soft dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If it’s too sticky, add a bit more flour. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 15-by-15-inch square. Spread two-thirds of the butter over the top two-thirds of the dough, leaving a half-inch border. Fold the unbuttered third over the middle, then fold the top down, like folding a letter. Turn the dough 90 degrees, roll it out again to 15 by 15 inches, and repeat the buttering and folding with the remaining butter. Do these two more times without adding more butter, chilling the dough for 30 minutes between each step. After the last fold, wrap the dough and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.

To make the custard, whisk the flour with ¼ cup of milk until smooth. Heat the remaining milk in a saucepan until it steams, then whisk it into the flour mixture. Pour it back into the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring until it thickens to the consistency of pudding. Set aside.

To make the syrup, combine sugar, a cinnamon stick, and water in another saucepan. Bring it to a boil without stirring until it reaches 200-205°F (soft-ball stage). Take it off the heat, remove the cinnamon, and let it cool a bit.

Slowly whisk the syrup into the milk mixture, then add the vanilla. Strain it through a fine sieve into a bowl, cover, and chill overnight.

Preheat your oven to 550°F or as hot as it will go. Roll the chilled dough into an 18-inch square, then roll it up tightly into a log. Trim the ends and cut the log into ½-inch slices, making about 18 pieces. Put each slice cut-side down in a greased muffin tin and press with wet fingers to form a shell up the sides.

Whisk the egg yolks into the chilled custard. Fill each pastry shell about three-quarters full. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the pastry is golden, and the custard tops are browned and caramelized. Let the tarts cool a bit in the tin, then move them to a rack. Dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon.

Serve warm and enjoy the creativity of the monks who first made them, the spirit of Portugal, and the pleasure of good food. Whether you are in Lisbon or at home, these tarts offer a taste of Portugal. Bom apetite!

Chef Walters Cooking School 

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There is a constant, recognizable thread in the career of Walter Potenza to elevate the level of Italian culinary culture in the United States. Besides his unquestionable culinary talent and winning business perspective, Chef Walter has been a relentless educator with passion and knowledge who defeats stereotypes. His life, career, and values are a model, an example to follow by any chef of Italian gastronomy working outside Italy.

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